Overview

• The study published July 2 in Science Advances confirms Neanderthals at Neumark-Nord systematically fragmented over 100,000 bone pieces from at least 172 animals to render fat around 125,000 years ago.
• Heated flint artifacts, fire-altered stones, charcoal demonstrate that Neanderthals boiled bone fragments in perishable containers using stone hammers with controlled fire.
• This large-scale grease-rendering operation predates the earliest known Homo sapiens evidence by almost 100,000 years, rewriting timelines of Paleolithic dietary technology.
• The extensive bone processing reflects deliberate transport of carcass parts, forward planning, with potential storage of extracted fat.
• Exceptional preservation of the Neumark-Nord paleo-landscape offers holistic insight into Neanderthal hunting, butchery, resource management practices.